Member Spotlight- City of McPherson

Member Spotlight- City of McPherson

Streets are something most of us take for granted until we hit a pot-hole, literally! Although many have probably been more attuned to street projects lately because of the continual improvements, others have taken notice because of the proposed ½ cent sales tax funding option that will be on the November 7th ballot. Before you vote, get the facts.

At the recent Chamber Connections, the informative Paving the Future video was shown and then attendees had the opportunity to learn more details and ask questions of Doug Woodward, Director of Public Works and Anne Kirchner, Community Information Coordinator. The video includes comments from local residents and addresses statistics about tax dollars needed to maintain quality streets. The Paving the Future video is intended to educate the citizens about funding options for road improvements. View the video here or read the Paving The Future information sheet to better understand the half-cent sales tax with details and answers to frequently asked questions.

What are the three most important facts to know? (taken from the City of McPherson website)
“1) The half-cent sales tax is NOT a new tax. It is an extension of the sales tax already in place.
2) The City of McPherson receives an estimated 30 percent transference from sales tax. This means 30 percent or more of sales tax collected is from patrons living outside McPherson, which lessens the tax burden on City residents and allows for continued road improvements.
3) A vote YES will renew the current half-cent sales tax for another 10 years. A vote NO will result in the current half-cent sales tax ending on December 31, 2020, and the City will need to identify an alternative funding source for street improvements.”

The current ½ cent sales tax has allowed the City to complete more than 25 street improvement projects in the last 7 years. Want to know what the future street improvement priorities are? Here are details of what is on the horizon. For more information, contact the Public Works Department or the Commissioner of Streets at 620-245-2545.

Your opinion matters, so learn the facts and vote on November 7th